The Psychology of Gender Pronoun Usage

[Loren Booda]

Have any of you all considered "y'all" as a candidate for the currently redundant English second person plural pronoun (with that of the first person), which most other languages distinguish between.

 

[Containment]

Ya know you "guys" have a point I'm going to have to start calling everyone and everything an "It" I think.

 

[rootX]

But that's not how we use the singular they. It's more like this.

"Whoever stole my lunch from the refrigerator, they are in big trouble!"

"Person who stole my lunch is in big trouble"

"I am going to crush the person who stole my lunch"

"I am going to eat the person who stole my lunch"

 

[cobalt124]

I thought "singular they" was within the rules. It seems the best option.

@Jared, does Welsh have this problem?

 

[JaredJames]

@Jared, does Welsh have this problem?

Do you mean the accent (and 'slang' used be English speaking Welsh people) or the actual Welsh language?

If it's the latter then you'd probably want to ask someone who speaks Welsh. From my very limited knowledge of it, I believe it does.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

When writing, I use "he/she". However, there are many other good words like person, user, human.

I've written "he/she" too, but have wondered at the time why I don't write "she/he", or "s/he".

 

[cobalt124]

I meant the gender pronoun issue, but I will apologise for assuming that because you are Welsh, you are fluent in Welsh.

 

[JaredJames]

I meant the gender pronoun issue, but I will apologise for assuming that because you are Welsh, you are fluent in Welsh.

No apology necessary. Quite used to it now and I never take offence to it.

You'd be surprised at the number of times I've had people go into a "Hang on lads, this guy's Welsh. Speak slowly and clearly." mode when they first meet me.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

No sir! I claim no such "authority," and I am aghast that I may have implied that I did. I am truly in the camp of "descriptive linguistics," which is why I am in favor of the use of the singular "they," not against it. I am truly surprised that this was not clear. This is a common spoken application across the English speaking world. So common in fact, that a person might not even notice when they use it. Invented forms of a neutral pronoun are clumsy and would never "catch on" since they are "prescriptive" in nature, and natural languages are disgusted by prescriptions.

Sorry, it seems I completely misread your post.

 

[Chi Meson]

Sorry, it seems I completely misread your post.

That one post of mine, by itself, could be considered ambiguous in intent I'll admit. But In context with this entire thread, I believe my opinion is quite clear.

Another thing that is clear: I use "quotes" far too much. It's "easier" than putting those self referential words into italics as would be "proper," but I'll try not to be so lazy in the "future."

 

[Chi Meson]

I've written "he/she" too, but have wondered at the time why I don't write "she/he", or "s/he".

My professor in grad school (where I got my MFA in Literature and Creative Writing--no joke, I did) had his opinion of s/he:

He thought it was s/hit.

Edit:
May I have my first warning ever now please?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

That one post of mine, by itself, could be considered ambiguous in intent I'll admit. But In context with this entire thread, I believe my opinion is quite clear.

Another thing that is clear: I use "quotes" far too much. It's "easier" than putting those self referential words into italics as would be "proper," but I'll try not to be so lazy in the "future."

"Hey, no problem, I completely understand."

 

[fuzzyfelt]

My professor in grad school (where I got my MFA in Literature and Creative Writing--no joke, I did) had his opinion of s/he:

He thought it was s/hit.

Edit:
May I have my first warning ever now please?

May I have my first for quoting?